Pantograph



muy 17, A19213.

11,46L988 RB. SPIKES PANTOGRAPH Filed Nov. 27. 1922 2 sheets-sheet 2 2.5" n, m f Il I, 4Z fyi- JZ rv.: l l@ W y nel," f/ Si.

Patented duly l?, i923.

Unire Bronzini) B. sriirns, orsnn rnieivcisco, cerimoniale, assitance To sfn. sfnzarnnr- MENTAL Liinoienronins coivirnizrv, or senr rnnnoisoo, certi-ronnie, fr someone.-

'iron or onnironnre.

"Pnivroenfirrr Application -ledlovember 27, 1922. Serial No. 6035579.

To all whom t may concern.' i n Be it. lrnown that l. l'lroiiimn Spinne, a citizen of the l'lnited States, and a resirlhe present invention `relateszto a device commonly knownas a-pantograph and used i i in connectionwith electric railroad cars toi"` establishing an electrical connection with* a wire supported above 'the car. Pantographs ot this character have to be eonstructeilwitli soY su'liicient liexibility to allowthem to adjust themselves to the height aswell as the `tension ofthe wire so that a firm contact is maintained at all times no `mattei' wlietherthe `wire is stretched tightly or depends loosely from its sup-ports. f To `obtain an ideal condition tor maintaining the contact betweenf the pantograph and the wire it is necessary` to provide -means `in connection `with the pantograph that will automatically adjust the same to suit conditions. `Assuming `tor instance that the wire. .is stretched tightly' and rather 'high abovegthe car the contact member of the pantograph should automati-` cally rise 'to maintain the Contact.

llf on the other hand the wire isstietched tightly rather close to the car the contact member vshould. automatically descend to` meet this condition soythat no unduestrain n may be put on` the wire. It therefore of importance to provide-control means tor the pantograph that will answer the pressure exerted upon the contact member by the wire and will `cause the vcontact member to risev and descend to meet any situation that may arise. l t n y i The pantograph as such is oldzand the present `invention is principally continedvto,

thelcontiol means for the same. f

The preferred form otniy invention `"illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in .which Figure l shows asideview otmy pantograpl'i7 Figure 2 atop plan view ot the same, Figure 3 plan view oit an extensible Atraine used in myidevice, Figure et a` vertical section .through the same, Figure a sectional detail `view of a valve usedfor the control of my device, and Figure 6 a vertical section through a shoe engaging the trolley wire. `While l haveshown only the pre` terred tornoA oit the invention it should be 'certain conditions.

`some .obstacle `in I.the wire.

`vertically so understoodthatfxarious changes or modifications may be made within the scope ot the from `the, spirit ot the invention.' l ll/ly pantograph is supported onwthe top of anelectric carindicated by the line vclaims hereto adnta'chedl `without departing'` `other trames (ll) and v(12) pivoted to the same as shown at y(13) and (lliland'pivotally connected `at their tree ends (16). and (17') `by means ot two grooi'fed membersfll) adapted to support a transverse bary (18) forming` the` shoe ot my pantograph.y i The slice which correspondsfin ylength `to the* widths of the trames is lpreterablfyprovided with a wing (20) at either end' which slopes downwardly and prevents the control` wire against transverse motion by `verticalfpins (25) extendingupwardly trom the bottom ot the `grooves. The pins, however.` do not `from' catching underneath tliefshoe under Ilhe shoe which rests? in the groovesoftlie members (18') is held` hold the shoe affainst vertical motion and allow the shoe to be tornawfay yfrom the pantogrrapli in case..'tlie shoe is .caughtby normally held in place by a spring (25) connecting` thesame with a parallel ytrans` :versebar engaging the under surtaces of the members (18()` and also by light chains (30) connecting awcentral .portion ot' the shoe withtransrerse rods(52) within the upper `trames.` Both spring and chains areconstructed to break when' the yshoe isA caught. y i

The tourv trames (S).y (9), (l1) and (12) are thus arranged to Yform a figure resen- The shoe bling' a parallelogram with the shoe (1S)vr supported transversely over the'electiic car substantially in .',central relationto the pantograph.'` 'It will be seen that the pivotal `connections between the trames allow the liparallelopjram to be compressed and. expand i y to allow thepshoe which is` `designed to engage the trolleywire (2l)` lto rise and tall.y i l lThe actionof the parallelogram is constrolled by two factors` thesprivnglQQ). connecting the two lower' frames (8)A and. (9)

and tending to draw the same togethei1 whereby the `paralleloram is expanded.A

vertically anda pressure means (23) adapted to force the two frames.(8) and (9) away from each other .whereby the par'allelogramv is 'contracted vertically. TheV latter means comprisesy preferably a cylinder (24) disposed horizontally on the base member (4c)v having twopistons (26) and (27) reciproeating-therein. A pressure medium suc-h as compressed air may enter the centralportion of the cylinder through the tubey- (2S.) 'and `tends to force the pistons toward the'ends i of the cylinder in opposite directions,` the` e motion of the pistons rbeingr transferred tov the frames (8) and by means of connectv ing rods (31) and (32)*engaging arms '(33) I trolled bymeans ofk a. valve (36).

I and (All) therein.

' ony opposite sides of the valve. When the and (Se) rfixed to the pivots (6) andf(7) respectively. TheA pressure medium within the cylinder yexhausts throughr ythe same tube (28) through which it lenters and yis con- The operation of the valve (36) cons-ti,-

tutes the principal feature of therpresent invention; The valve is lshown in detail inFigure 5and comprises a. valve housing (37) having three peripheral ports (38),

port (38) communi.- eating through thetube (28) with the central portion of the cylinder (24), port (4:1)"y

communicating with af suitable source of pressure such as a pressure tank not shown inlthefdrawing and port discharging intor the atmosphere. A rotary valve (4r-2) is mounted in lthis housing and. provided withftwo peripheral grooves'(43) and` (45) valve is in the position shown in Figure 5 it `considered. to be in a"neu'tral position.

closes the port (38) and disconnects the intake and exhaust ports from'one another' andy from the-port (38) so` that it may be lt willbe noted that a-` slight turn of the valve to the right. asyiewed in Figure 5, connects the intalre withvthe port(38)thro1igh 'the groove (48); and a slight turn to the f left connects the exhaust port (39) with thecylinder through the `groove (45) while a more intense turnto the lett connects the intake with thel cylinder through the' groove (4:5). The rotary valve formsan integral part of a shaft (44:) rotatably supported between the lateral members (46) and of one oi the upper trames as for instance 'the framerii).

The latter ltrame differs from the other three framesin'so tar as it is madek of two vsections `(48) and V(49) slidably engaging each other by means 'of two transverse rods (51) and (52) secured in the iframey section 48) as shownat'fi) and (54;)and"riding,- inslots (56),and (57) ot the section A.(49).

VThe latter section which isthe upper oneV and `COQIlnects with. the shoe (18) `*terminates at its lower end in a yoke k(58) secured to the rod (51) supported in the lower section (48) by means ot a spring (59) tending to torce the upper section upwardly. vThus theframe (ll) is constructed extensibldvthe spring (59) tending to ,inaintain.the member in its most extended position. The yoke (58) which preferably comes to a point in the center of the frame is provided with a downwardly extending ra ck (Gl) engaging a pinion (62) .on the shaft (lie) previously mentioned.

The operation ofthe deviceis as follows: Normally ythe spring'- acting on' the two irame members (8) and drawsthe .same together and tends'toexpand theparallelogram vertically. ."The' springmernfoer (59) within the trame (1l) normally-tends rto expand the same yframe untilprevented from doing; vso by the tension oit' the trolleyy wire. Assuming that the pantograph has adjusted itself to ai definite position so that y its shoe l(18)* contacts with vthe trolley wire the valve (36) is adjusted to be closed. that is. substantially in the position shown in- Figure 5. 'Y This situation remains unchanged until a change occurs in the tension .the air'intake` port (41') and thetube (28).

Air or whatever pressure medium is used is Aforced intothefcentral portion 'of the cylinder V(2li) causing the two pistons (26) to g i move outwardlyv and to thereby` .torce apart `the twQ frames (3) and (.9) 'whereby 'the height of the `pantograph is reduced. "As soon as the'heieht @tithe latter has become adjusted to that ot the trolleywire the tension on the spring Awill ceaseand the latter returns to a normal position.causingr the pinion (62) andthe valve (42) to -return to a normal or inoperative position'.

Assuming now that the electric car passes il; lto a place where the trolley wire/fis higher the spring (59) ofthe extensiblei'frame (ll) which lunder normal vconditions is always slightlyY expanded is allowed to contract and to move the upper ytrame section up vwardly since thewpressure ot the trolley wire. has ceased. Thisgcauses theI rack (6l) to revolve the pinion (62) in the opposite `direction'and the valve (42) is rnow rotated to the left into a position where the .groove (45)' registers with `the tube and the exhaust port (39)*thereby l.allowinef the compressed air within ythe cylinder (24C) to escape and allowing: the'main spring `to draw the two trame members (8) vand catcllcsin the trolley wire or the members supporting the same, it is torn off the pantograph due to the momentum ot the car. the

spring and therhains (30) yielding yto the` pressure.

The resulting reaction of the springp(59) .is the same as in the `sec- Iondcase, only inlanlinten'siied Atornr'and the valve (42 instead of turningslightly to the left so as to connect cylinder and exhaust revolves sufficiently far to the left to 'connect thel intake and the cylinder through the groove (L15). whereby the opposite result is obtained. That is, the whole trame work contracts vertically and takes the upper members out ot the reach of the overhead wires.

I claim:

1. A self-adjusting contact-maintaining device tor an electric car having a wire suspended thereover, comprising a plurality ot 'trames linked together to substantially form a paralellogram adapted to be secured to the top ot the car so as to touch the wire, spring` means and pressure means co-oper ating in affecting the height of the paral lelogram in opposite senses, a valve control for the pressure means and means actuated yby the tension of the wire controlling the valve so as to adjust the height o'tthe paralilelogram to the height of the wire.

2. A self-adjusting contact-maintaining device for an electric car having a wire susu pended thereover, comprising a plurality ot frames linked together to substantially form a parallelogram adapted to be secured to the top of the car so as to touch the wire, spring means and pressure mea-ns cooperat ing in affecting the height ot the parallelogram in opposite senses, a valve control for the pressure means and means actuated by the tension ot the wire controlling vthe valvel so as to adjust the height of the parallelm gram to the height ot the wire, said means comprising a sliding arrangement in one ot the trames rendering one member of the same extensible yielding` means tending to extend the same in opposition to the tension oi the wire and an operative connection between the extensible trame member and theV valve allowing the latter to be controlled by the oscillations oi the trame member.

3. A self-adjusting contact-maintaining device for an electric car having a wire sus pended thereover, comprising a plurality ot frames linked together to substantially form a parallelogram adapted to be secured to the top of the car so as to touch the wire, spring means and pressure means cooperating in affecting the heightoic the parallelo gram in opposite senses, a valve control for the pressure means and means actuated by .the `tension of the wire controlling thefvalve so as toadjust the height 'ofthe parallelo` gram to theheightotl thewirc, said means comprising a slidingarrangementin `one'ot the frames rendering .one member voilthe `same extensible, yielding mea-ns tending to` extend the same' inopposition` tothe tension ofthe wire, a pinion associatedr with the valve and a rack connected `with 'the extensible framemember engaging the pin 1 operative connection between the valve and the trame member allowingzthe former to be controlled by the oscillations of the latter.

5. A valve control for a device of the character described comprising a frame having a sliding arrangement therein wherebyone frame member is rendered extensible, yielding means tending to extend device for an electric car having a wire susf pended thereover, comprising a plurality of frames linked together to substantially Jrorm a parallelogram adapted to be secured to the top of the car having a top member .touching the wire, spring means and pressure means cooperating 1n aiixecting the height of the parallelogram .in opposite senses, a valve control 'for the pressure` means and means actuated by the tension ot the wire controlling the valve so as to adjust the height ot' the parallelogram to the height ot the wire having means associated` therewith tor vertically contracting the frame when the'` wire engaging member tears loose.

' 7. ln a device of the character described, a vertically expansible trame, spring means tending to expand the same into contact` with an overhead wire of variable tension, pressure means adapted to contract the frame having a control valve associated therewith and means actuated by the ten-` sion` of the wire for controlling the valve to relieve the pressure when the tension is reduced andto apply the pressure when the tension is increased. V n SIn a device of the character described,

` a vertically expansible frame` spring ineans Ytending to expand' the'sarne into contactr `with-an overhead Wire of variable tension,

`pressure vrneansadapted to contract the frame i having -a control valve associated therewithand ineans actuated by the ten sion of the wire for controlling the valve to relieve the pressure when the tension is reduced and to apply theV pressure when the tension isincreased, said valve beingso constructed as to alsoapply the pressure when Ithe tension is removed altogether.

two grooves on opposite sides adapted to establish communications between the dis.- charge andr the intake" and between the discharge and thel exhaust on a slight right and lefthand turn respectively andv also a communication between the discharge and ythe intake on a more pronounced left hand turn. v

i RICHARD B.v sPiKEs. 

